Cooling Cost Control
If you expect the cost of diesel fuel to come down soon and your refrigerated freight can wait until it does, or if your fleet has enough money available that it doesn’t matter how much it spends on fuel to run your reefers, you can skip this article. If, however, you, like most, don’t expect fuel prices to ever come down to the levels of the recent past – or even stabilize in our lifetime – then fuel economy is likely a high priority for you.
What’s in store for 2007?
The trade press has devoted a lot of ink over the past 18 months to the issues surrounding the introduction of 2007 emissions-compliant engines and related developments. From what I gather, fleets are either accepting these engines without major changes to their acquisition cycle or taking a wait-and-see posture, extending trade cycles and/or postponing acquisition of new power units.
‘Old’ is in the eye of the operator
It’s been said that a correctly specified and properly maintained truck can last forever. While that might be a bit of a stretch, when you talk about “forever” referring to a truck’s life, you need to understand that the word really means longer than someone is willing to drive it or you’re willing to pay for the increasing cost of keeping it alive.
The right tools
When diagnosing and trouble shooting vehicle problems, having the correct tools for the job is essential
Fuel conditioning modules introduced
The Racor Division of Parker Hannifin Corp. released its P-Series Fuel Conditioning Modules. The P-Series includes a filter and lift pump. The pump comes standard in 12VDC, but has the options of a 12 or 24VDC brushless pump. The 12VDC brushed pump works best if mounted on the chassis, the company said. The 12 and 24VDC brushless pump has the durability to be mounted on the engine.
Castrol introduces next-generation of Tection Extra
BP Lubricants USA Inc said it plans to launch the re-engineered formulation of Castrol Tection Extra. Scheduled for release in January 2007, Tection Extra exceeds the new CJ-4 specifications as defined by the American Petroleum Institute (API) classification of lubricants and exceeds the 2007 Original Engine Manufacturers (OEM) lubricants requirements in response to the new emission standards enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Engine Choices
Gas engines an interesting alternative
Two motors are better than one
Hybrids have received mixed reviews when used in cars and trucks, but new generations are now receiving well-earned attention
Brown goes green
UPS is investing heavily in alternative fuel-powered delivery vehicles
Horton introduces WindMaster plastic MS9 fans
Horton offers the new WindMaster plastic MS9 fan, which is an aerodynamically shaped nine-blade fan designed for Class 5, 6 and 7 truck and bus applications.